Year: 2025

Chaos, community and catharsis: Cry Club on their latest single, “This, Forever”

Melbourne duo Cry Club have always existed in their own colourful universe. It’s a place where maximalist pop, punky electronics and unapologetically queer joy crash together in spectacular fashion. Since forming in 2018, best friends Heather and Jono have carved out a loyal audience with their theatrical live shows, heartfelt politics and their ability to…

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Film Review: Blue Eyed Girl; Marisa Coughlan confidently navigates relatable coming-of-mid-age dramedy

When we think of coming-of-age stories, so often is it pictured as a teen or young adult navigating their life towards a sense of maturity. The truth is though, such a term can really be applied to anyone who is experiencing a reset in their life – whether it’s emotional, professional or psychological – which…

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Interview: Marisa Coughlan on writing the personal Blue Eyed Girl and trusting the process of releasing it to the world

When Jane Messina returns home to visit her two sisters and her ailing father, she’s forced to re-evaluate her life, and to wonder what could have been. Blue Eyed Girl is a coming-of-age story at forty-something, not fifteen. It’s about midlife and marriage, chasing dreams, letting go of regrets, and most of all, reconciling who…

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Photo Gallery: Sharon Van Etten and The Attachment Theory + Cash Savage – Enmore Theatre (20.11.25)

Sharon Van Etten and The Attachment Theory played one of the best gigs of 2025 at Sydney’s Enmore Theatre. Van Etten is magnetic, she draws you in, her vocals are emotional and her lyrics are overwhelming in the best way, plus The Attachment Theory is super tight and like part of Van Etten’s family. Kicking…

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Beechworth Historic Precint

A historic VIC road trip: Is Beechworth worth the stop?

Beechworth is beautiful. You’ll find it by peeling off the highway between Sydney and Melbourne, in the Victorian high country. Not far from Albury-Wodonga. It’s a town born from the 1852 gold rush and made famous by the Ned Kelly Gang trials. That era has been preserved with such respect that the Australian National Heritage…

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40 Best Australian Albums of All Time: Part Two – 20 to Number 1

Earlier this week we kicked off our first ever count down of the Best Australian Albums of All Time. And today we reveal the top 20 as voted by the AU review’s contributors. With a broad diversity of ages in our contributor base, this list of 40 albums reflects that. Covering multiple generations of Australian…

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Interview: Josh Hutcherson on returning for Five Nights at Freddy’s 2; “A lot of attention was put on making something that the die hard fans are going to completely love.”

They’re not just at Freddy’s anymore. In 2023, Blumhouse’s box-office horror phenomenon Five Nights at Freddy’s, based on the blockbuster game series by Scott Cawthon, became the highest-grossing horror film of the year. Now, a shocking new chapter of animatronic terror begins in Five Nights at Freddy’s 2. One year has passed since the supernatural…

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Interview: Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 director Emma Tammi on “bigger, scarier” sequel and catering to the passionate fanbase

They’re not just at Freddy’s anymore. In 2023, Blumhouse’s box-office horror phenomenon Five Nights at Freddy’s, based on the blockbuster game series by Scott Cawthon, became the highest-grossing horror film of the year. Now, a shocking new chapter of animatronic terror begins in Five Nights at Freddy’s 2. One year has passed since the supernatural…

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New Music Discoveries 21st November: Coco Elise, STONE, Joshua Idehen, and more

There might only be less than 5 weeks to go until Christmas but the new music keeps coming and we’ve got another ten tracks to add to our Discovery playlist on Spotify and Apple Music. Our Track of the Week is “Suddenly Your Mind’s A Fortress” from WA bedroom-pop duo Coco Elise. The gorgeous track…

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Favourite Kid

Favourite Kid lift the lid on 2 Cents Journal in an exclusive track-by-track

Australia’s Favourite Kid dive deep into vulnerability and self-reckoning on their debut album 2 Cents Journal — a warm, textured blend of indie-folk charm, alt-country grit and polished modern pop. It’s a record shaped by reflection, honesty and emotional turning points, capturing what it means to grow, stumble, heal and keep moving. Across the album,…

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Everything coming to Prime Video Australia this December

Prime Video Australia are the gift that keeps on giving this festive season, with the streamer announcing their December slate to ensure their viewers will be entertained all the way into the new year. From anticipated series returns to Christmas comedies, NBA championships to some modern classics, here’s a look at everything you can stream…

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Interview: Charles Venn on returning for another powerful chapter of fan favourite series Casualty

After two years of being off Aussie screens, BritBox is bringing back the long-running UK soap and fan-favourite drama Casualty, much to fans’ delight. Leading the cast is Charles Venn (EastEnders, The Dark Knight), who returns to the drama as Jacob Masters, the direct, confident, unconventional former army medic-turned-nurse who, for over a decade now, has proven one of…

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The GameSir X5s Wireless Game Controller is a solid, affordable alternative for gaming on the go

Gaming has arguably never been more accessible, across a range of portable and dedicated devices. While mobile gaming has been popular for a while now, the era of cloud and console quality gaming on the go is upon us, and we must prepare accordingly. Sure, you’ve got something like the Backbone One, which has been…

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Laura Ingram

Exclusive Single Premiere: Laura Ingram “Not Another Fool” (2025)

We’re thrilled today to premiere Laura Ingram’s fiery new single, “Not Another Fool” — a guitar-heavy, salty southern-soul anthem that marks a striking new chapter for the Melbourne artist. To be released tomorrow, the 21st of November, the track sees Ingram tapping into a grittier, more fearless side of her songwriting. While early releases like…

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Jurassic World Evolution 3 proves that life finds a way

The Jurassic Park franchise has spent more than three decades stomping through every corner of pop culture, from novels to films, theme parks, and, of course, video games. For many, the 1993 film remains a near-sacred text, its awe-struck lens matched only by John Williams’ iconic score.  Most adaptations fell victim to a constant identity…

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UPDATED: Legendary NZ band Split Enz announce 2026 tour

For the first time in 20 years Split Enz have reunited with original members Tim Finn, Eddie Raynor, Noel Crombie and Neil Finn plus Matt Eccles on drums and James Milne on bass on the Forever Enz tour. The tour will celebrate the group’s extraordinary catalogue, from the theatrical brilliance of Mental Notes and Dizrythmia,…

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Photo Gallery: Lenny Kravitz + Jet – Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney (18.11.25)

Lenny Kravitz kicked off his Blue Electric Light Australian Tour in style to a packed out Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena. Opening with “Bring It On” Lenny exploded onto stage with a groove-heavy blast that set the tone for the night. Backed by his incredibly tight band consisting of Craig Ross his long-time lead guitarist, Hoonch…

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Theatre Review: Gravity is a topical romantic dramedy that honours all facets of sexual fluidity

With sexual fluidity becoming more a open topic of discussion and exploration, it’s quite surprising how revelatory something like Gravity still feels in 2025; Bradford Elmore‘s sexual celebratory romantic dramedy that flips the usual boy-meets-girl narrative with a boy-meets-boy-meets-girl layering. A tale of two distinct love stories unfolding simultaneously, Gravity initially sets up the meet-cute between Heather (Annabelle Kablean, comedically…

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Pac-Man World 2 Re-PAC is a chomping good time

The original Pac-Man World 2 was a huge part of my gaming childhood. The integrated television show, 3D graphics, and cheeky characters blended my love of television and gaming. I spent hours exploring Pac Village, interacting with the Pac-villagers, and playing as much as I could. So this ground-up remake of the original game was…

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Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment makes for an engaging, action-packed sequel

The Hyrule Warriors series has made a decent impact on the Nintendo Switch as a formidable, Dynasty Warriors-infused Musou experience that builds on the lore of its existing mainline Zelda titles. While those previous titles lacked the performance required to handle multiple enemies on screen at any given time, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment finally…

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Film Review: Wicked: For Good; thrillifying sequel is a more emotional affair celebrating the beauty of female friendship

“And now whatever way our stories end, I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend…” And in that one line of lyricism, songwriter Stephen Schwartz perfectly encapsulates the bittersweet mentality of Wicked: For Good, the suitably thrillifying conclusion to last year’s cultural phenomenon, Wicked. With a large subsect of audiences somewhat uninitiated in…

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Interview: Shiva Negar and Peter Facinelli on the importance of their domestic abuse drama Deadly Vows

Inspired by true events, Deadly Vows is a gripping thriller about love turned lethal. After fleeing the Iran Iraq war, Darya (Shiva Negar) begins a new life in Los Angeles and is swept off her feet by the charming Sam Lebon (Peter Facinelli). But behind his promises of safety lies a violent darkness. As their…

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Photo Gallery: Sam Fender – Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne (14.11.25)

Sam Fender made a long-overdue return to the Sidney Myer Music Bowl last week, delivering a set that felt big, loud and completely effortless. The crowd didn’t miss a lyric, with “Hypersonic Missiles” and “Seventeen Going Under” landing exactly the way everyone hoped, heavy and cathartic. The night was a complete standout in Melbourne’s live…

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Film Review: Trap House; Dave Bautista’s kinetic actioner is surprisingly layered with a tender edge

Despite the fact that it’s directed by Michael Dowse (Stuber) and comes from a story credit by Gary Scott Thompson (The Fast and the Furious), Trap House manages to not entirely fall into the familiar action genre tropes both creatives have expressed before. It isn’t shaking up the ground in any manner, but its blend…

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Interview: Trap House director Michael Dowse and star Kate del Castillo on grounding their action film and navigating grief on screen

El Paso DEA Agent Ray Seale (Dave Bautista) and his team infiltrate a drug trafficking operation run by notorious cartel boss ‘Guzman’. But things go wrong and one of his team is shot and killed. In the aftermath, the slain agent’s son, Jesse (Blu del Barrio), is devastated and struggles financially having to move back…

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Interview: Trap House stars Whitney Peak, Zaire Adams and Blu del Barrio on their heist film and new generational visibility

El Paso DEA Agent Ray Seale (Dave Bautista) and his team infiltrate a drug trafficking operation run by notorious cartel boss ‘Guzman’. But things go wrong and one of his team is shot and killed. In the aftermath, the slain agent’s son, Jesse (Blu del Barrio), is devastated and struggles financially having to move back…

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The 40 Best Australian Albums of All Time: Part One – 40 to 21

With Australian Music Month upon us, and the ARIAs taking place tomorrow, we thought it would be the perfect time to delve into our contributor’s favourite Australian albums of all time. It’s the first time we’ve ever put a list like this together on the AU. With a broad diversity of ages in our contributor…

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LOUNGE OF THE FLAMINGO

Guest Playlist: Paris Wells and Finley François give us the ultimate lounge soundtrack

Melbourne’s own Paris Wells and Finley François have been busy crafting something special. Following the release of their collaborative album Lounge of the Flamingo in August, the pair are now set to bring the project to life with a full-album launch show at George Lane, St Kilda on Thursday 27th November. Recorded live at MONA’s…

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Anberlin

Albums that shaped a generation: Emo Extravaganza heads to Melbourne, Sydney & Brisbane

If you were someone who spent their teenage years scribbling lyrics into the margins of notebooks, layering on black eyeliner and blasting pop-punk through wired headphones you’d understand that the early 2000s were far more than just a moment- they were a movement. Emo transcended a musical genre and became a home to the misunderstood…

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“I’m so ready to kick some ass”: Metallica rock the absolute hell out of Sydney

How can you possibly quantify the seismic impact of songs like “Seek & Destroy” and “Enter Sandman” when they’re played live and loud, igniting the air with soundwaves so combustible that you could swear Accor Stadium could burst into flames? You can’t. Sydney waited patiently while Metallica shredded through the rest of their Australian tour…

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